Zatulin: Russian peacekeepers can be withdrawn from Karabakh only  with the mutual desire of Yerevan and Baku

ArmInfo.My common sense tells me that if peacekeepers appeared in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone at the request of both sides, then they should also leave at the  request of Yerevan and Baku.

On June 24, during a videoconference, this was stated by the first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma committee for CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations  with compatriots Konstantin Zatulin, answering a question about the  prospects for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh in  4.5 years.

He recalled that Russian peacekeepers were in other regions as well,  and cited Abkhazia and South Ossetia as an example. Zatulin recalled  that before each expiration of the term, this issue was always  raised, they say that Georgia may refuse to extend the mandate.

"I have always said that if we have taken upon ourselves the  obligation to maintain peace in the region, then in no way should we  turn around and leave when, after some time, one of the parties, for  example, having prepared for military operations, is clearly striving  to ensure that in order to break the peace in the region, and,  accordingly, is interested in that our peacekeepers do not interfere.  What will we achieve from such a legitimacy of the peacekeeping  mission? We will only ensure that the conflict resumes again,  "Zatulin said, expressing confidence that Russian peacekeepers will  be in the region in 4.5 years. He once again expressed his conviction  that the peacekeepers can be withdrawn only at the request of both  sides.  Touching upon the role of Turkey in the region, Zatulin  stated that Ankara has always had and has its own interests in the  Caucasus. "If we were now living in the 18th, 19th, and even in the  20th century, I would say that for the most part they contradicted  the interests of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union.  Currently,  a certain cooperation is developing between Turkey and the Russian  Federation in a number of areas, but this does not mean at all that  our national interests coincide, "the lawmaker said.

At the same time, Zatulin noted that he considers the signing of the  Shusha Declaration as an act of Turkey's further advancement to the  Caucasus. "The confirmation of this fact is that Azerbaijan is a  conductor of Turkey and due to those debts, having borrowed from  Ankara during the war (not only money, but also the fact that  Azerbaijan relied on Turkey). And today, it is already difficult for  a layman to figure out where Turkey ends, and where Azerbaijan  begins, and vice versa, if we proceed from the principles that are  laid down in the Shusha Declaration, " the Russian politician said.   According to him, it is clear for Russia that Azerbaijan and Turkey  are merging and, of course, are trying to make a good face, to assure  that it complies with the UN Charter and is not directed against  third countries.  However, according to Zatulin, all the formulations  contained in this declaration leave no one in doubt that this is  definitely an anti-Armenian declaration.

"Of course, it does not in any way touch or name Russia in form, but  at the same time we understand that being connected with Armenia by  mutual treaty agreements, we cannot but ignore the fact that Turkey  and Azerbaijan have chosen Shushi as places for signing the  anti-Armenian declaration, "the Russian deputy noted.

Referring to the situation on the borders of Armenia, Zatulin noted  that Azerbaijan and Turkey are not ashamed to act and are trying to  get the most out of this situation, which is not very correct. At the  same time, he stated that the actions of the President of Azerbaijan,  attacks against Armenia cannot be called anything other than  narrow-minded nationalism.